The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 05, 1999
Filed:
Oct. 03, 1996
Otto Volker, Rochelle, IL (US);
Ruben Hernandez, Belvedere, IL (US);
Thomas W Paisley, Warren, IL (US);
Roger L Brock, Roscoe, IL (US);
Excel Industries, Inc., Elkhart, IN (US);
Abstract
A rollerless seat track assembly and a motor vehicle seat having a rollerless seat track assembly is shown having a lower track mounted to a base or floor of a motor vehicle, and a slidable upper track attached to a seat base. The upper track has a top wall and a pair of side walls. The lower track has a pair of flanges positioned adjacent a primary load bearing contact surface. Preferably a low friction coating, such as a PTFE epoxy paint is applied to the primary load bearing contact surface of the lower track, and a preferably elongate glide strip or glide member may be affixed to a lower side of the top wall of the upper track. As the seat track slides back and forth, the glide strip would slide over the low friction coating, minimizing the efforts required to adjust the seat. Lateral stability may be enhanced by lateral stabilization ball bearings running in raceways between the upper and lower tracks. Preferably a swizel stick or retainer having a series of openings sized to receive the ball bearings is positioned in each raceway to maintain proper spacing of the ball bearings. Optionally the raceway may have four contact points with each ball bearing. The tracks may be interlocking, that is, capable of resisting upward dislocation forces.